Road-engine



S WO 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

ROAD ENGINE.

Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

. PEYERS, Hana-Lithographer, Wahmgwn, n c.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

W. S. WOOTTON.

ROAD ENGINE.

No. 387,612. Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

Qi A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM S. WOOTTOX, ()F SOOTTSIIURG, VIRGINIA.

ROAD-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,612, dated August '7, 1888.

Application filed December It), 1887.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM S. \VooT'roN, residing at Scottsburg, in the county of Hallfax and State of Virginia, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Roadl lngines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same.

It is desirable in road-engines, as in other vehicles, that the body should be elastically supported upon the grouiul-wheels,in order to prevent repeated and abrupt shocks and jars, which are disagreeable to persons riding on the engine and injurious to the frame and machinery thereof. Such an elastic support,however, entails a movement, especially in vertical planes, of the engineframe and driving machinery relative to the driving wheels, which latter are of necessity connected with said machinery.

One feature of my invention consists in applying a spiingconnection, which I term a balanced-spring connection, between the driving ground-wheels and the driving mechanism, which permits a movement of such mechanism bodily in directions crosswise of the axis or drivingshaft of said wheels without interfering with the transmission of power from the engine to the driving groundwheels. My invention also consists in the application at said point of what I term a springantt link connection.

Another feature of my invention consists in the devices for supporting a eenterless driving groundwheel of aroadengine with a view to minimize the friction, to resist the tendency which a large and relatively light wheel will have to depart,under certain strains, from the shape of a true circle, and at the same time to transmit the propelling force as directly as possible from the engine to the ground.

In order to enable my invention to be more clearly understood, I have shown in the ac companying drawings a means for carrying the same into effect.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofso much ofa road-engine as is necessary to illustrate my invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of one of the driving-wheels on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the equalizing frame which Serial No. $31 ,357. (No model.)

I prefer to employ in supporting the drivingwheels. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4 4,

Fig. .1, of a portion of one of the drivingwheels. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of the driving mechanism, illustrating my balaneed spring connection. Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views illustrating two forms of the spring-andlink connection. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating another arrangement of the rollers which engage the driving-wheel.

teferring to the drawings, A. indicates the main frame or body of the engine, which carries the boiler 13 and engine or engines B. The latter may be of relatively small power, but will be capable of a high rate of speed. The body will be supported at one end by a suitable steering wheel or wheels, and at the other end by wheels (J, between the axle of which and the body A, I preferably interpose a vehicle spring or springs of any usual or preferred character.

The wheels Crun upon the inner periphery of driving ground -whcels D. As the two wheels D (two being the number which will ordinarily be employed) are similar in construction and in their means of connection with the body and with the engine, adeseription of one with its said connecting means will suffice for both. The wheels are provided with a peripheral gear, (I, which, in order to obtain the greatest power, should be as near to the tire as possible. \Vith the gear (I meshes a driving lantern pinion, I), mounted upon a shaft, 1 through which power is applied to the pinion. The shaft F is carried by a frame, G, pivoted to a fixed point at g. The support for pivot g is furnished by the main frame of the engine in any suitable manner.

In the construction shown braee-rodsII-one on each side of the wheel I)-are secured to a rear cross-piece, u, of the body, to an intermediate cross-piece, a, and at their forward ends to another suitable fastening of any desired character. The rods II are encircled by sleeves I, provided with perforated lugs'ii, in which latter the pivot g is mounted. This pivot is formed by lateral trunnions formed on or secured rigidly to the frame (l.

I will now describe the means which I have devised for supporting the ground driving wheel l). The wheel is ofthe character termed emiterless that is to say,which has no cen tral hub or axle. It is therefore held in posi tion by the side of the body, and applies its propelling force thereto by its periphery.

J is a frame consisting of two parts arranged side by side, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, each made in the form of a segment of a circle,and connected by the frame G, to which they are rigidly attached, and also preferably by crossbracesj, as indicated in Fig. 2. It is also desirable to brace this segmental frame by means of ticsj, which shall resist any tendency to depart from its true shape. Rollers for receiving the propelling force of the driving-wheel (both in a forward and backward direction) are carried by the frame J, in the construction shown, through the medium of rigid bars K and an equalizing frame, L, pivotally supported on the said frame. The rollers are shown at r r r r 1*", and have their axes parallel with the mathematical axis of the driving-wheel bearing against the inner and outer periphery of the same. The bars K are cross braced, as shown at 7., Fig. 2, and the frame L i is braced, as shown at Z. It will thus be seen that when the engine is advancing the driving-wheel propels the body by the pressure of its outer forward periphery upon the roller r and of its inner rear periphery upon the roller r. As these rollers are substantially diametrically opposite each other, the driving wheel is subjected to little or no collapsing force, which would tend to flex it out of a true circle. Additional security in maintaining the wheel 1) in proper shape and position is afforded by the equalizing-frame i. The oscillation of the latter upon its pivot L enables its rollers r r to bear with equal pressure upon the driving-wheel, and by yield ing to each other to operate with the least possible friction.

It will be understood that the bars K may be so arranged that the rollers r r 1" will bear upon the driving-wheel in the line of its horizontal diameter, as shown in Fig. 8. equalizing-frame L may also occupy other positions, or more than one of such frames may be employed.

\Vhen the engine is moving backward, the principal propelling force will be applied to the roller 1'" and to the rollers r r. in the construction shown in Fig. 8 an additional roller, r, upon the rigid portion of the frame, will receive a large part of such force.

The propelling force applied by the driving wheel D, whichever be the direction of movement of the same, is transmitted by the rollersupporting frame, comprising the parts li, .l, and G, to the body through the pivot The pinion E in operation exerts a eonsid erable radial pressure, tending to force the driving-wheel forward out of engagement with it. I apply a direct opposition to this force by mounting in the frame (1, preferably on the line of the pivot g, a roller, 0', adapted to rotate freely on its bearings and bear against the outer periphery ofthe driving-wheel. This roller, also, in the arrangement of the rollers The i r and 1"", (shown in Fig. l,) will receive and transmit to the body a large part of the forward-propelling force of the driving wheel.

it is desirable to provide the tire of the driving-wheel with the usual cross'ribs, d, in order that these may not interlbre with the smooth running of the rollers r, 1", and r. I also provide said the with a peripheral rib, d, in line with said rollers, and of at least as great height as the cross-ribs. I also combine with the driving wheel and its external bearing-rollers a scraper. a, adapted to clear so much of the external peiiphm'y of the driving-wheel as is necessary to furnish a smooth track for the rollers. The scraper will headjustable by a nut, s. and consists of or is carried by a spring, which is necessary to niaiir tain its constant engagement with the wheel during the movements \\'lll('ll the latter will necessarily have within certain limits in the roller-supporting frame.

If, in addition to the bearing-points afforded by rollers r i" when arranged as shown in Fig. l, a boaringpoint for the driving-wheel be desired on the line of its horizontal diameter, I employ a roller, 1", carried by an oscillating frame, M. The latter may be conveniently hung from the axis of the roller 1', and is ad justable forward and backward to ive the roller 1' inst the degree of bearing desired by means of an extensilde or cont racl ible rod, M, secured to the frame M and to a point, or. upon the main roller'snpporling frame. 'lhestrain of the rod Ill. is transmitted by the frame K J G to the pivot and thence to the body A. The rollers bearing on the inner periphery of the driving-wheel are flanged, as shown, in order to bear equally upon both sides of the gear of and to retain the wheel in a substantially vertical plane. it will be seen that in any sitnation in which the body is tipped or lifted relal ivr to either of t he wheels l), or either of said wheels be left unsnp 'iortwl by thegronnd, there would be a relative movement between the body and wheel upon the pivot y. To limit this, i provide a stop. This step consists, in the construction shown, of an anti friction roller, carried by a spring, secured to the cross-hora. fter a limited moi emcnt of the character r ferred to the whet-l I) will come in contact with the roller/and the inorenientbe arr st ed.

1 will now describe the connection between lhc driving pinion l1 and the driving mechanism carried by the body. The drivingshaft F isdivided. and upon. the portion which carries the pinion l) is secured a. disk, N, while upon the port ion which is connected with the driving mechanism is secured a disk, 0. :ly the term disk I intend not only circular parts or wheels, as shown, but also plates of any shape, or radial arnr; secured to the sections of the shaft.

in Fig. :7 is shown the balanced springconnection hereinbeforc rethrred to, in which two or more springs, l, have their ends secured diametrically opposite each other to both of ICS IIO

lls

said disks. This forms a spring-connection between the parts of the shaft which allows them to move out of line with each other and which is accurately balanced, so that when the springs are under high tension they will have no tendency of themselves to disturb the alignment of the parts of the shaft.

in Figs. 6 and 7 is shown what I term the spring and link connection for the divided shaft. This connection may take many forms without departing from my invention. In Fig. 6 the springs are formed in several leaves eonneetcd at their middle by bolts One of the disks is provided with curved seats n,in which the springs fit. The heads of the nuts 1), resting in corresponding small recesses, 11/, will keep the springs from shifting in their seats, and set-screws n?" hold them from lateral displacement. The springs are pivoted at their ends by bolts l, or other suitable means, to links T, which latter at their other ends are hinged to the other disk. It will be seenthat this construction permits of a vertical move ment within certain limits (and, in fact, of movement in any direction transverse to the driving-shaft) of the body and driving mechanism relative to the driving-pinion and its ground-wheel. Asimilar result is attained by the construction shown in Fig. 7, in which form the springs are normally straight and the links each at a separate point to their disk.

liaviugthus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

.l. In a road-engine, the combination, with the driving ground-wheels, of a divided driving-shaft, the separate parts of the shaft being connected, respectively,with the driving mechanism and with said wheels, and two or more springs arranged oppositely to and balancing each other about the shaft and connecting the separate portions thereofwith each other,substantiall y as set forth.

2. The combination, with the divided drivingshaft and disks carried by the respective portions thereof, of a plurality of springs and corresponding links secured, respectively, to and connecting with each other the said disks, whereby a movementof the parts of said shaft out of line with each other may be permitted without interrupti ng their d riving-conm 071011.

3. The combination, with the divided driving-shaft and disks carried thereby, one of which is provided with seats or recesses, of a plurality of springs mounted in said recesses, and links pivoted to the springs and to the other disk, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the divided driv' ing-shaft and disks carried by the respective portions thereof, of a plurality of springs secured to one of said disks, and corresponding links pivoted to the said springs and situated at an angle thereto and pivoted at their other ends to the other disk.

5. The combination, with the eenterless ground-wheel and its driving pinion, of a frame connected with the body of the engine, and a roller mounted on said frame and bearing against the periphery of the wheel in the line of its horizontal diameter, for receiving the horizontal propelling force of said wheel.

6. The combination, with the eenterless ground-wheel and its driving-pinion, of a frame connected with the body of the engine, and rollers mounted on said frame both within and without the wheel, and bearing upon both its inner and outer periphery for receiving its propelling force.

7. The combination, with the eenterless ground-wheel and its drivingpiniomofa frame connected with the body of the engine, and a roller mounted on said frame and bearing against the periphery thereof opposite to and adapted to resist the radial pressure of said pinion.

8. The combination, with the centerless grouml-wlni-elanditsdriving-pinion,ofaframe adapted to hold and support said groundwheel and having a bearing for the journal of said pinion, and a roller bearing upon the periphery of the groundwheel, said roller and frame being pivoted to the body of the engine on the same axial line.

9. The combination, with the centerless ground wheel and its d rivingpinion,ofa frame connected with the body ot'the engine,a roller mounted thereon and bearing against the periphery of the wheel, an etpializingframe piw oted to the first frame, and rollers carried by the equalizing-frame on opposite sides of its pivot and bearing against the periphery of the ground-wheel.

10. The combination, with the eenterless grt'iundwvheel and its driving-pi nion,ofa frame carrying the pinion, rollers mounted on the frame and bearing against the periphery ofthe wheel, turning on said frame by which thelatter is pivotally connected with the body ofthe engine, and a roller mounted on the frame opposite to said pinion for resisting its radial pressure.

11. The combination, with the eenterless wheel and the rollers bearing against its outer periphery,of the scraper s,engaging said outer face for clearing the track for said rollers.

12. The combination, with the centerless wheel and a supporting-frame therefor pivoted to the main frame of the engine, of a roller carried by the main frame and situated upon the opposite side of the wheel from said pivot. forlimiting the relative movement of the main frame and said wheel about said pivot.

In testimony whereof I have altixed my sig nature in the presence of two witnesses.

\Vitnesses:

If. N. Low, Jumns Serena.

IIO 

